News Article: Tomas Plekanec wants back in....

[417]

All loyalty and past performance aside, the question should be, does Plex make us better if he’s on the team.

I think as far as 4th line centers in the NHL, there aren’t many better than he is. So from a completely unemotional standpoint, I’d take him back as a 4th line center and paid as such.

I would hope we can get a center or two in the offseason so that we wouldn’t have to worry ability him playing up the lineup unless of emergency injury spot duty. Otherwise I think Danault, DLR are full time centers with another one coming in and possibly Drouin again. No space in the two for Plex anymore.

Plekanec was on the team for the majority of this year.

Did he make them better?

You already have the answer to this question...

Plekanec at this stage of his career can't singlehandedly impact the fate a team by his mere presence.

 

[Sterling Archer]

Plekanec was on the team for the majority of this year.

Did he make them better?

You already have the answer to this question...

Plekanec at this stage of his career can't singlehandedly impact the fate a team by his mere presence.

I didn’t suggest he play the same role he did last year. I said I’d bring him back as a 4th line center. Not as the 3rd line one. Big difference and having depth at center is never a bad thing in a pinch.

 

[Drytoast]

We'd have a pile of 3rd line Cs is the problem and he doesn't want to play on the 4th and we have nobody who can play 1-2

All teams need some veteran presence...I don't see why you let the younger kids try 1, 2 and reserve plek for 3, 4. Unless you manage to squeeze Tavares from Long Island. Though with Lou there, that seems unlikely.

 

[Lshap]

In isolation there's nothing wrong with a guy like Plekanec as your 4th line C. The question is which rookie/youth would be denied a chance as a result. This org desperately needs to be developing tomorrow's roster, not squeezing the last drops out of yesterday's roster.

I'm a big fan of Plekanec and what he gave the team for years, but right now a young C with NHL potential should be given priority (though I admit I'm not sure if we have one of those).

 

[Schwang]

The problem with bringing him back is you know damn well the minute something goes wrong with another center, they'll move pleks up the lineup where he doesn't belong. Not like they haven't before. This coaching staff love their tired old vets!

 

[ZUKI]

Plekanec wants to sign in Montreal ?
He's a good soccer player and he could signs with the Impact

 

[the]

Is he going to be back with the goatee or without?

 

[sandviper]

In isolation there's nothing wrong with a guy like Plekanec as your 4th line C. The question is which rookie/youth would be denied a chance as a result. This org desperately needs to be developing tomorrow's roster, not squeezing the last drops out of yesterday's roster.

I'm a big fan of Plekanec and what he gave the team for years, but right now a young C with NHL potential should be given priority (though I admit I'm not sure if we have one of those).

While I agree with you in terms of denying a chance for rookie/youth, I think on the 4th line, we'd be ok. Froese is currently our 4th and honestly, he's nothing special. Considering he isn't homegrown, I really am not attached to him nor do I feel he's so much better than Pleks that it'd be a determining factor. Also, guys like Evans needs at least a year in the A, if not longer to be NHL ready. This is of course barring any incredible jump in progression. I think the remaining centers in the AHL aren't ready either.

Now, that all said, as you mentioned, in isolation there is nothing wrong with Plekanec on the 4th. The problem I expect is if we take him back, he'll be shoe-horned back into a middle-6 position. I'm no DLR fan really, but that kids needs development time on the 3rd line.

In the end, I'd be ok with Pleks back, but he isn't a priority for me. We have to look towards where we want and need to be 3-5 years from now. Sorry Tomas, it isn't 2007-2012 anymore.

 

[Lshap]

While I agree with you in terms of denying a chance for rookie/youth, I think on the 4th line, we'd be ok. Froese is currently our 4th and honestly, he's nothing special. Considering he isn't homegrown, I really am not attached to him nor do I feel he's so much better than Pleks that it'd be a determining factor. Also, guys like Evans needs at least a year in the A, if not longer to be NHL ready. This is of course barring any incredible jump in progression. I think the remaining centers in the AHL aren't ready either.

Now, that all said, as you mentioned, in isolation there is nothing wrong with Plekanec on the 4th. The problem I expect is if we take him back, he'll be shoe-horned back into a middle-6 position. I'm no DLR fan really, but that kids needs development time on the 3rd line.

In the end, I'd be ok with Pleks back, but he isn't a priority for me. We have to look towards where we want and need to be 3-5 years from now. Sorry Tomas, it isn't 2007-2012 anymore.

Yeah, I guess I agree. As you can see, I'm ambivalent either way because, as you said, there are no exciting prospects about to burst onto the scene. Possible a dude like Poehling makes the jump, but not likely this season. So we're left with a choice of bad airplane food -- do you prefer the reheated Turtleneck or our Leftover Pick of the Day? Yay...!

 

[HBDay]

Is he going to be back with the goatee or without?

What came first, the goatee or the plekanecs?

 

[Price is Wright]

I didn’t suggest he play the same role he did last year. I said I’d bring him back as a 4th line center. Not as the 3rd line one. Big difference and having depth at center is never a bad thing in a pinch.

Then you are asking for a new coach too.

"Depth at centre" is meaningless if none of that depth is top six quality.

 

[Sterling Archer]

Then you are asking for a new coach too.

"Depth at centre" is meaningless if none of that depth is top six quality.

If we can sign or trade for a centre and we’re working with:

ROR/Stastny /Lindholm etc.
Danault
DLR
Plex

With drouin ir Chucky able to slide into a top 2 spot in case of injury, I have no problem bringing Plex, who despite all the hate he inspired in a lot of posters, is a premier shut down center in the NHL. He just lost his offence.

 

[Price is Wright]

If we can sign or trade for a centre and we’re working with:

ROR/Stastny /Lindholm etc.
Danault
DLR
Plex

With drouin ir Chucky able to slide into a top 2 spot in case of injury, I have no problem bringing Plex, who despite all the hate he inspired in a lot of posters, is a premier shut down center in the NHL. He just lost his offence.

Hey, I'm with you. If I'm an NHL team looking for a bottom six centre, Plekanec is high on my list, maybe top. But Claude Julien did not use Plekanec like a bottom six centre. He had him with Gallagher. His mindset is it's better to stop a goal than score a goal. Let's say you get that. The minutes are more likely to shake out as

ROR
Plekanec
Danault
DLR

 

[Sterling Archer]

Hey, I'm with you. If I'm an NHL team looking for a bottom six centre, Plekanec is high on my list, maybe top. But Claude Julien did not use Plekanec like a bottom six centre. He had him with Gallagher. His mindset is it's better to stop a goal than score a goal. Let's say you get that. The minutes are more likely to shake out as

ROR
Plekanec
Danault
DLR

I think when you’re paying him $1M and defining his role to Julien you hope that’s enough. I think he did a great job last of showing he’s a bottom center now and I’d suspect the team being out of it and him playing with Hudon was more a mentoring that’s over now. Fingers crossed.

 

[Sterling Archer]

Hey, I'm with you. If I'm an NHL team looking for a bottom six centre, Plekanec is high on my list, maybe top. But Claude Julien did not use Plekanec like a bottom six centre. He had him with Gallagher. His mindset is it's better to stop a goal than score a goal. Let's say you get that. The minutes are more likely to shake out as

ROR
Plekanec
Danault
DLR

I think when you’re paying him $1M and defining his role to Julien you hope that’s enough. I think he did a great job last of showing he’s a bottom center now and I’d suspect the team being out of it and him playing with Hudon was more a mentoring that’s over now. Fingers crossed.

 

[montreal]

Which center prospect would be held back? As far as I can tell, we don’t have any center prospects that don’t need seasoning time in the AHL or other leagues.

I don’t care if Pleks come back or not, just to be clear.

DLR
McCarron

 

[Bacchus1]

Some competition for 3-4 line centers isn't bad. If those two can’t beat out plex for the 4th line role, maybe they shouldn’t get ice time.

DLR can still play 3rd line minutes.

 

[montreal]

Some competition for 3-4 line centers isn't bad. If those two can’t beat out plex for the 4th line role, maybe they shouldn’t get ice time.

DLR can still play 3rd line minutes.

If Julien wasn't the coach, but he's already shown that even when it was clear the season was lost he still didn't play Carr, Jerabek, DLR enough. There's no way that anyone can convince me that if Pleks is back, that Julien won't play him over the youth.

To me if you are going to stink, lose with DLR as your 3rd line center and McCarron as your 4th.

I just don't buy for a second that Pleks will be our 4th line center, just won't happen. He'll get at least 3rd line ice time.

 

[habdynasty]

The leafs dont want him back ?? lol

 

[Scriptor]

If Julien wasn't the coach, but he's already shown that even when it was clear the season was lost he still didn't play Carr, Jerabek, DLR enough. There's no way that anyone can convince me that if Pleks is back, that Julien won't play him over the youth.

To me if you are going to stink, lose with DLR as your 3rd line center and McCarron as your 4th.

I just don't buy for a second that Pleks will be our 4th line center, just won't happen. He'll get at least 3rd line ice time.[/QUOTE]

And Julien plays his shutdown 3rd line like a 2nd line. That,s even worse.

 

[Fazkovsky]

It’s tkme to move on

His stint in Toronto proves he contributes little

 

[Belial]

Plekanec was on the team for the majority of this year.

Did he make them better?

You already have the answer to this question...

Plekanec at this stage of his career can't singlehandedly impact the fate a team by his mere presence.

Did the team finished where it did because of Plekanec?

 

[sandviper]

Did the team finished where it did because of Plekanec?

I don't want to speak for 417, but I interpret his statement more like is Plekanec going to make enough of an impact to contribute to our success? He isn't saying we had bottomed out because of Plekanec.

Basically, the question you are asking is if Plekanec is the reason we finished bottom-5? I'd say no, but the question I counter with is would signing Plekanec be enough to get us out of the bottom-5? I'd also say no.

The problems with the team is more than Plekanec. Plekanec isn't the sole problem, but he isn't the solution either.

Anyhow, I've already gone on record that given our current crop of NHL-ready centers, I'd be completely fine with him on the 4th line as he won't be blocking anyone of significance in the 2018-2019 season. However, if we use past history to predict future behaviour, chances are pretty good if we did sign Plekanec, he'd be playing a more middle-6 role.

 

[417]

Did the team finished where it did because of Plekanec?

Of course not...that's why i said this in the very post you quoted.

"Plekanec at this stage of his career can't singlehandedly impact the fate a team by his mere presence."

Important to read AND comprehend posts you're quoting.

 

[Habs Halifax]

In isolation there's nothing wrong with a guy like Plekanec as your 4th line C. The question is which rookie/youth would be denied a chance as a result. This org desperately needs to be developing tomorrow's roster, not squeezing the last drops out of yesterday's roster.

I'm a big fan of Plekanec and what he gave the team for years, but right now a young C with NHL potential should be given priority (though I admit I'm not sure if we have one of those).

Be afraid of the Bergevin "Re-tool". Won't be surprised he signs him for 2 years. Something tells me that Bergevin wants a playoff roster and not a roster for another top 10 pick.